Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/11/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]hi gareth, it sounds like you have allready some experience in spotting; i try to share my experiences. so maybe, this special paper in combination with any hardener in the fixing-bath (rapid fixer?) could be the problem - the ink often cannot soak into the hardened emulsion of photographic papers/films. in my experience, a VERY VERY little ammount of dish-cleaning-soap (sunlight, palmolive etc.) in the water can sometimes help, that the paper "accepts" the retouching ink better (you are using albumen-glaze-colours, right?). when i retouch, i always prepare the tip of the brush by liking it - to make the tip very fine - then dip it in the ink. i think, that also the fluid of saliva has some positive effects for the ink soaking into the emulsion. and it does the best job to make the brush-tip very fine. my tools for spotting/retouching: a very good brush, albumin-colours, a handkerchief (or other absorbing stuff, also a cardboard), a piece of photographic paper, and a glasplate, on which i mix the colours in different tones with water (the dried ink on the glas-plate can be used for three or four times for later retouchings). after i mixed the tones with the brush, i drag it over the absorbing paper and then try the effect of colour-intensity on a piece of photographic paper - the tip of the brush must be almost "dry". if its too dry, i often lick it again instead of (or before again) tipping it in the mixed inks. the intensity of colour/tone should always be lighter than the retouched area - the right tone should come after spotting two, three or four times (if you are experienced with that, no one will see, that the print is spotted). very light and very dark areas are most complicated to spot - they need optimum attention. i allways have three different brands of spoting ink (different tones, some tend more to blue, some to green) to match the tone of the b&w-print. for selenium-toned prints, i sometimes mix a little bit magenta (other colour retouching inks) with the black ink. i hope this helps a bit - excuse my bad english. regards, thomas __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com